The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Degradable biopolymers are a key element in soft tissue engineering. Many elastomers employed for tissue engineering applications are so soft and pliable at room temperature that their surgical implantation can be extremely difficult.
Such elastomeric polymers should exhibit a wide range of properties to address the multitude of needs in soft tissue reconstruction. It is desirable that such polymers mimic soft tissue elasticity, imparting favorable stresses on surrounding tissues, while at the same time withstanding physiologic stresses without failure. Large differentials between normal tissue stresses and device-induced stresses are associated with adverse physiologic responses, such as restenosis in blood vessel grafts.
Furthermore, polymer devices must withstand manipulation during surgical implantation. Specifically, it would be beneficial for the device to maintain a rigid shape during implantation at room temperature, allowing the surgeon to manipulate and insert the devices in the proper anatomical position, subsequently becoming soft and compliant at body temperature to better match soft tissue elasticity. Many of the above described advantages are not presently found in elastomeric polymer compositions commercially available for tissue engineering applications.